Cap visor



Jan. 15, 1963 J. w. HENSCHEL 3,072,915

CAP VISOR Fi.|.ed Nov. 25, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2

FIG. 4

v INVENTOR. JOSEPH w uzwscnau.

ATT' Y Jan. 15, 1963 J. w. HENSCHEL 3,072,915

CAP VISOR Filed Nov. 25. 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH w. HENSCHEL ATT' Y itd States Patent Ofi Patented Jan. 15, 1963 ice 3,072,915 CAP VISOR Joseph W. Henschel, 7481 Cornell Ave., University City, Mo. Filed Nov. 25, 1957, Ser. No. 698,618 4 Claims. (Cl. 2--195) This invention relates in general to headwear and, more particularly, to a cap visor and method of making same.

Ordinarily, sport caps are provided with a forwardly projecting visor or bill which shields the eyes of the wearer from direct sunlight. Such visors are usually stitched to the lower forward margin of the crown and sweat band of the cap, and consist of a pair of fabric or plastic sheets which enclose a stitfening member of cardboard or other similar material. The visorsrare ordinarily made separately from the cap and sewed thereto during the cap-manufacturing operation. In making the visors, a stiffening member is placed between the two covering sheets and, thereafter, the covering sheets are stitched so as to enclose the stiffening member, at which time the visor is ready for assembly with the cap. The stitching operation requires a certain amount of time to perform and, furthermore, it has been found that, by stitching the covering sheets together, it is not always possible to confine the stitfening member tightly therebetween with the result that the finished cap has a visor with a loose-fitting reinforcement therein. Such condition is not too satisfactory since the cap visor may appear to be misshapen and, moreover, during use, the movement of the stiffener will tend to abrade and wear through the covering sheets.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of the present invention to provide a cap visor having a reinforcing member which is snugly and immovably positioned therein.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a cap visor of the type stated which is unlikely to become worn or misshapen due to a loose-fitting reinforcement therein.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method of making a cap visor which insures a tight fit between the covering sheets and the reinforcing member therein.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of the type stated wherein the reinforcing member and covering sheets can be quickly and easily assembled.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of the type stated wherein the need for stitching the cover sheets together is eliminated.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets)- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sport cap having a visor constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a visor forming part of the present invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken along lines 3--3 and 44, respectively, of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the heated platens used in th method forming part of the present invention; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are exploded perspective views showing steps in the method forming part of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a sport cap having a crown 1 provided with a lower margin 2, and stitched to the lower margin 2 is a forwardly projecting visor B.

The visor B comprises a pair of substantially congruent crescent-shaped flexible cover sheets 3, 4, which are preferably formed of vinyl resin plastic, and are heatsealed together at their forward margins 5, 6, along a narrowarcuate band,7. At their corners 8, 9, the cover sheets 3, 4, are also heatsealed together along short, somewhat widened relatively short bands 10, 11, which are contiguous with, and extend inwardly from, the band 7, thereby providing pockets 12, 13. Snugly disposed between the cover sheets 3,4, is a crescent-shaped stifiening or reinforcing member 14 which is normally thicker than the sheets 3, 4, and is preferably :ormed of cardboard, plastic, fiberboard, or the like. The member 14 is provided with a rear edge 15, which is spaced inwardly from the rear margins 16 of the cover sheets 3, 4, and is also provided with a forward edge 17 similar in contour to the band 7 so as to fit substantially flush thereagainst, as best seen in FIG. 3. At their opposite ends, the edges '15, 17, meet in points 18, 19, on either side, which fit snugly and conformably within the pockets 12, 13, respectively. Adjacent the rear edge 15 of the reinforcing member 14, the cover sheets 3, 4, may, if desired, be secured together by means of a guide stitch 20, for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In manufacturing the visor B, a pair of co-operating I lectrically heated platens 21, 22, are provided with up standing aligned arcuate ridges 23, 24, respectively, which are identical in contour with the band 7 and short bands 10, 11, previously described. The upper platen 21 is, furthermore, movable toward and away from the lower platen 22, as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 5 and 6. The cover sheets 3, 4, are superimposed on each other and placed on the lower platen 22, as shown in FIG. 6, so that their forward margins 5, 6, rest on the ridge 24. The upper platen 21 is then lowered so as to press the ridge 23 against the cover sheet 3, thereby heat-sealing the cover sheets together along the narrow band 7 and somewhat widened relatively short bands 10, 11. The upper platen 21 is then elevated and the heat-sealed cover sheets removed from the lower platen 22. Thereafter, the reinforcing member 14 is inserted between the cover sheets 3, 4, as shown in FIG. 7, so that the points 18, 19, fit snugly Within the pockets 12, 13, and the forward edge 17 abuts the band 7. Since the member 14 is somewhat flexible, it may be buckled to some extent during placement between the cover sheets 3, 4. The cover sheets 3, 4, may then be loosely secured together at the guide stitch 20 which is used solely for the purpose of properly positioning the visor B at the margin 2 prior to stitching the visor B thereto.

The reinforcing stilfeners 14 of visors B made in accordance with the present invention will remain snugly and immovably in place between the cover sheets 3, 4,

by reason of the fact that the pockets 12, 13, hold the corners 18, 19, of the stiffening member 14. Moreover, the visors B can be manufactured more quickly than is possible using the conventional sewing methods, and, when handled and shipped, the members 14 will not shift about between the cover sheets 3, 4.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the cap visors and method of making same may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cap visor comprising a pair of heat-seal plastic cover sheets heat-sealed together along their forward margin defining a narrow arcuate band, said narrow arcuate band having a crescent shape and being proximate to formably fitted within the pockets,

and extending long the forward margin of the visor, a

widened band contiguous with and extending inwardly from each of the rearward ends of the narrow arcuate band,said widened bands and narrow arcuatebandior-ming a pair of pockets at the points of connection, :anda stiffening insert confined between said cover sheetsrand having opposed points, said pointsbeing snuglyand-con- 2. A cap visor comprising a pair of heat-seal plastic crescent-shaped cover sheets. heat-sealedttogether along their forward margin defining a narrow 'arcuate band, said narrow arcuate band having. aorescent shapeaand being proximate to and extending along the forward margin of the visor, a widened band contiguous with and extendinginwardly from each of the rearward ends of the narrow arouate band, said widened bands and narrow arcuate band forming a pair of pockets at-the pointsof connection, and'a stiffening insert confined-between said margin of the visor, a widened band contiguous with and extending inwardly from each of the rearward ends of the narrow arcuate band, said widened bands and narrow arcuate band forming a pair of spaced opposed corner pockets at the points of connection, and a stiffening insert confined between said cover sheets and having opposed points, said points being snugly and conformably fitted within the pockets.

4. A cap visor as definedin claim 3 wherein said stiffening member comprises a flexible rnaterial capable of being elastically buckled.

ReferencesCited-in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 715,353 Davis Dec. 9, 1902 1,442,071 Jacobs Jan.f16, 1923 1,506,815 'Corm'ayiSept. 2, 1924 2,438,771 Topjian MarJBO, 1948 2,556,231 Stephens June 12, 1951 2,673,349 Key Mar. 30', 1954 2,718,010 Graham Sept. 20, 1955 2,809,376 Winson Oct. 15, 1957 2,880,423 OReilly Apr. 7, 1959 

1. A CAP VISOR COMPRISING A PAIR OF HEAT-SEAL PLASTIC COVER SHEETS HEAT-SEALED TOGETHER ALONG THEIR FORWARD MARGIN DEFINING A NARROW ARCUATE BAND, SAID NARROW ARCUATE BAND HAVING A CRESCENT SHAPE AND BEING PROXIMATE TO AND EXTENDING LONG THE FORWARD MARGIN OF THE VISOR, A WIDENED BAND CONTIGUOUS WITH AND EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM EACH OF THE REARWARD ENDS OF THE NARROW ARCUATE BAND, SAID WIDENED BANDS AND NARROW ARCUATE BAND FORMING A PAIR OF POCKETS AT THE POINTS OF CONNECTION, AND A STIFFENING INSERT CONFINED BETWEEN SAID COVER SHEETS AND HAVING OPPOSED POINTS, SAID POINTS BEING SNUGLY AND CONFORMABLY FITTED WITHIN THE POCKETS. 